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	LI Priest Apologizes, but Says He Still Backs McCain By Bart Jones Newsday June 4, 2008 http://www.newsday.com/news/printedition/longisland/ny-lichur045712949jun04,0,1916824.story A prominent Long Island Roman Catholic priest yesterday issued an apology for endorsing John McCain for president at a Republican fundraiser, but said he'd still do it again - only not during the invocation of an event. The Rev. James Lisante, a religion commentator for Fox News Network and a pastor in West Hempstead, came under fire from some, including bloggers, for condemning Barack Obama and backing McCain at the Manhattan event Thursday. "One final thing, Lord, I promise," Lisante, dressed in his clerical collar, said at the end of the invocation, a videotape of which was posted on the Internet. "This November could you keep an eye on all of us and see that the change that we embrace comes from Arizona and not Illinois?" He also made other disparaging comments about Obama, including criticizing him for failing to quickly distance himself from his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. Yesterday, Lisante said he had been endorsing McCain, adding his only mistake was the moment he chose to do it. "In hindsight I would have separated out the invocation, the prayer, from my commentary," said Lisante, pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Church. But he added he saw nothing wrong with offering an endorsement of McCain during another part of the fundraiser or at other events - as long as he did not do so from the church pulpit. "I do not as a priest forfeit my right as a citizen to a point of view, even when it comes to standing by a particular candidate," he said. "Yes, I am a supporter of John McCain and I believe in him very much as a man of character and strength for our country." Some church experts and fellow priests said Lisante went over the line with his endorsement. They said church tradition and practice prohibits priests from endorsing candidates or parties, although the church can be and is active in pursuing causes that align with Gospel values. "He went over the top," said the Rev. Bill Brisotti, himself a well-known, left-leaning social activist and pastor of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church in Wyandanch. "It was improper for him to do that." Brisotti said the Diocese of Rockville Centre issues a communication every year reminding priests of the prohibition against publicly backing candidates or parties, and noted parishes are not even permitted to host meet-the-candidates nights. The Rev. Thomas Reese, former editor of the Jesuit weekly America, said Lisante was within his constitutional rights to endorse a candidate, but that the church clearly frowns on it. U.S. bishops have been "pretty strong in saying their clergy should stay away from partisan politics," Reese said. "It's OK to talk about issues. But to get into endorsing candidates crosses the line in terms of church practice." Reese said the church takes that position partly because having a priest endorse a candidate could cause divisions in his parish if many parishioners supported someone else. Bishop William Murphy didn't comment. Contact: bart.jones@newsday.com
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